Hot-gas reciprocating engine



April 1, 1958 H. H. M. MEIJER HOT-GAS RECIPROCATING ENGINE Filed March 31, 1955 HUGO AETTIVIER MEIJER M' AGETJ? HOT-GAS RECIPROCATING ENGINE Hugo Hubertus Mettivier Meijer, White Plains, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to North American Philips Company, Inc, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1953, Serial No. 345,984

Claims priority, application Netherlands April 26, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 60-24) the heat exchanger in such a manner that the elements of the heat exchanger together form a wall for absorbing heat energy and the part of the wall surface which is occupied by the elements associated with one cycle is at least substantially equal to the part of the wall surface occupied by the elements associated with other cycles. Such a construction results in that the quantity of energy given oil to each individual group of elements is substantially equal.

The present invention has for its object to provide a difierent construction of a thermodynamic reciprocating apparatus in which the elements of the heat exchanger may be located in the aforesaid manner while the heat exchanger may be manufactured in a simple manner.

In accordance with the invention, both the working cylinders of the apparatus and the spaces containing the regenerators and coolers are juxtaposed substantially in the form of an annulus, each working cylinder being situated adjacent the space containing the regenerator and cooler associated with the hot space in this cylinder and each hot space being connected with the regenerator space through a number of juxtaposed pipes.

The pipes may be arranged in several different ways. Thus, for example, they may be bent over part of their length in a plane extending parallel with the working surfaces of the pistons reciprocating in the working cylinders.

In a suitable embodiment of the invention the pipes extend substantially in the direction of length of the working cylinders.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventio each pipe has substantially equal sections.

As a rule the cycles performed in the thermodynamic reciprocating apparatus should be identical. In this regard the pipes are preferably of equal length and width of passage.

As a rule, flame retaining devices will be provided internally or externally of the groups of pipes in order to compel the combustion gases to follow a given path. In a further embodiment of the invention, the groups of pipes are provided with a plating both at the inner and at the outer side of the space bounded by the groups of pipes in such a manner as to compel the combustion gases to pass along the pipes in a longitudinal direction.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, given by way of example, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on the line II in 2,828,691 l atenteii 1, 1 9 5 8 ice Fig. 2 is a plan heater.

As shown in Fig. 2, the thermodynamic reciprocating apparatus is a four-cylinder engine whose cylinders 1, 2, 3 and 4 are connected through groups of pipes 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively with the spaces for the regenerators 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively. The working spaces and the spaces for the regenerators and coolers are arranged substantially in the form of an annulus. Referring more particularly to Fig. l the engine shown herein is doubleacting. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of the cylinder 2 and the space 6 for the regenerator 15 and the cooler 16 while a piston 13 is adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder 2. The working space 14 above said piston is connected through pipes of the group 10 with the space 6 containing said regenerator 15 and cooler 16. Through a duct 17 the space 6 is connected with the working space below the piston (not shown) of the cylinder 3. The space 14 above the piston 13 is the hot space of the engine, the space below the piston in the cylinder 3 is the cold space. Similarly, the cold space 27 below the piston 13 is connected through a duct 18 with a space 5 of the regenerator and the cooler associated with the group of pipes 9. The pistons of the working cylinders 1, 2, 3 and 4 reciprocate with a constant phase difference and drive a swash plate mechanism (not shown in the drawing). The piston rods may alternatively be coupled with a different mechanism, for example a crank shaft mechanism. The groups of heater pipes all occupy an equal surface area of the wall of the space 19. At the top is provided a burner 20 supplying its heat energy to the groups of heating pipes. At the inner side of the pipes in the space 19 is provided a plating 21, and at the outer side a plating 22 furnished with local apertures 23. The combustion gases pass over the pipes in their direction of length and leave the thermodynamic reciprocating engine through apertures 23. Preferably, all the pipes of each group have substantially the same length and Width of passage. The sections of the individual pipes have the same length but sections spaced wider apart from one another are shorter.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifiview of the groups of wpipes-ofithe cally illustrated or described and that in the illustrated.

embodiment certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principle of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hot-gas reciprocating apparatus comprising a plurality of working cylinders, each cylinder having at least one reciprocatingpiston defining therewith a hot space,

a plurality of containers each having a regenerator and one reciprocating piston defining therewith a hot space, I a plurality of containers each having a regenerator and a cooler therein, said cylinders and containers being juxtaposed to form substantially an annulus, a plurality of groups of similarly shaped and adjacent pipes, a burner supplying heat energy to said groups of pipes, each group j a a ,of pipes connecting each of 'said hot spaces with its asso- References Cited in the file of this patent ciated regenerator space, a plurality of upstanding walls UNITED STATES PATENTS on the inner sides of said groups of pipes, and a plurality of substantially parallel walls being provided with aper- 3251640 woOdburY et Sept 1885 tunes on the outer sides of said groups of pipes, said walls 5 3341153 Babcock 121 1886 substantially enclosing said pipes to thereby form alconduit which compels the combustion gases of said burner to pass over said pipes and leave said conduit through said apertures. 

